Dear President-Elect Trump,
Your campaign promised working people jobs, good jobs. This was your commitment to them. It is the main campaign pledge to these working Americans. Unfortunately these people overlooked the worst in you but this is the line you drew in the sand.
The Rubicon was Caesar’s line to be crossed, an actual geographic location, a river. Washington crossed the Delaware, again a physical location. The sinking of the Lusitania and the bombing of Pearl Harbor were actual events, horrific events, but clearly visual actions that required a most serious response. When these and similar lines have been crossed the outcome has generally been favorable for us as a nation although the cost may have been extremely high in lives and money.
There is another line we all often use. This is the mythical line in the sand. We tell our children not to do something or else, which is our line as parents. That one never worked too well for me but the kids did not turn out so bad. Our teachers draw lines often to control our behavior or maybe that was just me. We expect certain behavior of ourselves and others which define our way of acting and treating other people. These lines don’t actually exist except in our mind. We can’t point to a spot or location and say don’t cross it. As parents we threaten to take away privileges if our children cross our lines. Our employers threaten unpaid time off or outright loss of a job. Our churches for those believers may threaten with hell or worse fire and brimstone, whatever those are. The state, any state, will be much more punitive and incarcerate those who cross the lines which define our culture, our way of life.
This brings me to the point of this. Is there a line that we expect our leaders not to cross? Is there a line in the sand never to be crossed we set for them? We seem willing to accept name calling, trying to ignore their various transgressions such as infidelity and perhaps some lapses in ethics. There has to be one line our leaders can’t cross and certainly our President must never transcend. Stretching the truth is unacceptable but lying to us is absolutely a line in the sand. Never has a President outright lied to us as you seem to be doing. Your choices for Secretary of Labor and Commerce certainly do not appear to be worker friendly. The middle class which you claimed you would help depend on public education to improve their economic position. Your Secretary of Education doesn’t appear to support public education. Many who voted for you may not have agreed with some of your proposals but they did believe you. Many are older people who sacrificed in WW II, Korea, the Vietnam War later military conflicts and have struggled to provide for their families. Some people lost their jobs or can’t find a job paying a decent wage. There are others who would never vote for you or support your policies but believe in the office of the Presidency. They all know that Democracy is a fragile thing. Don’t ever think that you can hoodwink all of them with lies and not pay a price. They can hurt you at the ballot box, in your billfold and that of your inadequate appointees. You are not one of them and not their hero. You are the President. Act like it, don’t cross the absolute line or their wrath can be every bit as much as yours without the thin skin. You promised jobs. Provide them and stop your apparent lying to the American public.
I hope you listen to this request. All of us want you to be a successful President. Success is measured by your ability to maintain peace and prosperity. I am not a supporter of yours but do hope you succeed. The line is drawn. It’s your move.
PS: Remember a blind trust is a must.
Phil's Personal Perspectives 